The Silver Tongue
by Keanan765
Summary: Anna Arensdotter is to be knight for Princess Elsa of Arendelle for one reason. She can speak to dragons. From the age of six, the Royal Family will raise Anna as Sir Andrew Arensen, protector of the Princess, but the one day Elsa's protector is not there, her freedom is stolen. With Elsa captured, Anna is the only knight who can save her. Dragon!AU
1. A Knight to Be

_**A/N:**_ _My good Elsanna lovers,_

 _This is a story that has been plaguing my mind as of late, and I oly hope it can be written as I see it in my head. I have no beta, so any and all mistakes are mine. I apologize for them all. And for those of you reading my other story, A Fencer's Fear, I am still working on it, I just needed to get this out of my system. Depending on how this progresses it may be changing to an M rating, and also on how you, my readers feel about that._

 _I hope you enjoy this fun little story, and reviews always help things along! So with that, I leave you The Silver Tongue._

 ** _Update:_** _My good friend IceCreamIceQueen prompted this update. She pointed out a few kinks in these first two chapters, so I only removed the first paragraph and fixed a couple of typos in this chapter._

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 **A Knight to Be**

Citizens gathered as the winged beast landed in the town proper. Flames sputtered out of its jaws, and roars shook the foundation of the town. Fear erupted in the Arendellian hearts. Dragon landings were uncommon, and dragon landings with damage even less so. Yet, apart from all the other frightened citizens, a curious girl stood. A child of six years watched in amazement at the beast's cries. "Monah? Kolos los hi, Monah? Zu'u los ahraan!" To the normal subjects of Arendelle it sounded like roars of unintelligible sounds, but to this girl, she heard and understood the dragon's words as though they were in common tongue, "Mother? Where are you, Mother? I am scared!"

She stepped forward with a comforting smile on her face, and immediately began speaking with the burgundy scaled dragon, "Are you looking for your mama? Can I help you find her?" The girl stepped closer, hand reaching out to the dragon, but not quite touching it. The dragon craned its head out to smell her hand. With a sneeze, it pressed its snout into her palm.

"P-please. I was flying and got distracted by the fish, and when I looked again, she was go-" A loud roar sounded overhead, "Mother! She's here somewhere! That was her!" The dragon began to bounce around, happiness filling its heart.

The small redheaded girl looked up, in an attempt to spot the mother dragon, as the humans surrounding her had done. However, her teal eyes were the only ones to spot the black shadow that covered a portion of the moon. She quickly turned back to the dragon, with a grin on her face, "Come on! Let's go out there! I bet she's scared too!" To all those watching, they heard a foreign language passing through the small child's lips. Her excited grin revealed a silver tongue gleaming in the moonlight. Wonder, amazement, and even fear cemented in their countenances as they watched the girl pet the dragon, walking out of the town proper.

Her pigtails swayed as she led the young dragon out towards the edge of town, where she thought the mother dragon had landed. With her hand on its head, she could feel the head jerk up and look out into the wilderness. Suddenly the dragon was bounding forward, and she could barely keep up, running behind it, "Mother! Mother! Here I am! I am coming!" The freckled girl grinned, laughing as she chased the dragon outside of town. As soon as the dragon barreled into the much larger black dragon, the girl skidded to a stop. She looked up in wonder at the majestic beast before her.

A regal voice permeated the silent air, "Thank you for returning my son. I apologize for any inconvenience he may have caused you and your town. Rest well, Silver Tongue." She looked at the dragon with a curious tilt of her head. Suddenly, the beast had risen high into the sky, the small dragon upon her back. The child watched in amazement as the dragon flew through the sky.

"Anna! You get your butt back over here right now! Didn't you hear, there was a dragon attack tonight! You could have gotten yourself killed! Don't scare Papa like that again!" She found herself wrapped in the warm embrace of her blacksmith father, Aren Larsen. He was the royal blacksmith, and because of his hard manual labor, his body reflected that. Always warm from the forge, and a strong body, hardened like the steel he melts.

"Sorry, Papa… Um… Can I ask something…?" Anna's voice now turned shy, as she gripped onto her father's apron.

"What is it, sweetie?"

"What's a Silver Tongue?" She could feel his body freeze beneath her as she waited for a reply. What's wrong with a Silver Tongue? Why is Papa scared, she thought to herself.

"Why, my sweet Anna?" His voice was strained, but her ears weren't trained enough to hear it.

So, with a joyous voice she replied, "The Mama Dragon called me that when she was thanking me! She was so worried about her son Papa. He was so scared… I'm glad she wasn't to-" Her feet settled on the ground as she met her father's concerned gaze. He was kneeling before her, cradling her face.

"Sweetheart… Let's talk about this tomorrow. After you meet the Royal Family. They will want to speak with you. For now, let's rest. I'm sure you're exhausted after your little adventure. So, come on my little adventurer, let's get you in bed. I'll read you the tale about the knight if you get ready quick enough." The girl ran without another word, giggles filling the town as the redhead rushed back into the blacksmith's home. She changed into her nightgown, and snuggled up into bed as her father stepped through the door. He smiled at her, and warmth settled in her chest as she snuggled deeper into the bed.

"Story! Story!" She began to chant, riling a chuckle out of the older man. He seated himself on the edge of her bed after pulling a well worn book from the shelf.

With a ruffle of her hair, he opened to the first page, "Once upon a time, there was a loyal knight. He was the best knight, charged with protecting the Princess…" The blacksmith continued on with the story until the light snores could be heard from the rambunctious girl. With a sigh he closed her favorite book. "You know you're special kid. I… I'm scared for you. I can only hope that you will be a precaution, not a necessity." He leaned down and kissed her forehead before leaving the small room, turning at the doorway, "I love you, my Anna bug." With a sigh he trod back to the forge, dread settling in his stomach. Dread at what would have to happen tomorrow. He would lose his little girl to the guard, and nothing in his life had prepared him for that.

Bags hung underneath his eyes, his dread having kept him up all night. With a weight in his chest, he roused his only daughter from sleep. When it seemed she wasn't going to wake, he threw her onto his shoulder, carrying her into the dining room to feast with him. Even as he plopped her onto the bench, she was dead to the world. So, with his last resort, he dug his fingers into her sides, resulting in high pitched squeals from the redheaded child.

"Awake now?" When a grumpy pout settled on her face, he had his answer. "Hey now, look at what you've got to eat this morning!" The excited grin that erupted on her face was interrupted by embarrassed horror when a beastly growl emitted from her stomach. A bellowing laugh erupted from Aren and he served up a towering plate for his daughter. She shoveled the food into her mouth, dropping food all over herself. At least she has to bathe before we leave, her father thought with a solemn smile on his face. She finished all of about half her plate before she belched with a satisfied smile settled on her face.

"Now off to the bath with you! You can't meet the Queen like that!" He rushed her off to the bathing room, grabbing the pot of warm water off the stove. Filling the tub with enough warm water to bathe her in, he lifted his now naked child into the bath. "Alrighty! Scrub-a-dub time! Let's get all that grime off of ya kid!" When his daughter responded with a giggle and a dive under the surface, he rolled his eyes. As she resurfaced, he lathered soap onto his hands, scrubbing it through her hair. After thoroughly cleansing the mess of her hair, he moved to scrub her body. The dirt and forge soot on her would be gone, and he doubted she'd ever have to scrub the soot from her body after today. I'm going to miss you, he thought as he scrubbed her body clean.

When the only scent permeating the air was of the soap, she rinsed and toweled herself off while her Papa retrieved her outfit for the day.

He rummaged through her closet, grabbing out her best breeches and tunic combination. I only wish we could get you a dress. With another sigh, he barely dragged himself back to his daughter to help her dress. When she had slipped on her favorite boots, he lifted her up into his arms to smother her in a bear hug.

Squealing, Anna found herself seated on her Papa's shoulders. She held onto his forehead tightly, ducking through the doorways. He carried her to the castle gates before setting her down.

"Ah, Aren! What brings you here, boy?" One of the guards greets the blacksmith.

"Sir Eriksen! Good to see you! I'm here to see Her Majesty, Queen Idunn. It is quite urgent business." Aren looks down at his daughter solemnly.

"The Queen is a bit indisposed as of right now, Aren. What is your business?" Sir Eriksen recites, as he must when visitors come to see Her Majesty.

"It is something not to be discussed outside the castle gates." Aren shuffles awkwardly, "Please allow me an audience with her. For this is something of security, so to speak."

Sir Eriksen glanced at the other guard before nodding and allowing Aren and his daughter through the gates.

Kai, the head servant of the castle, stopped Aren at the main doors, asking him once more what is purpose was. "Kai, please gather the Royal Family in the meeting room. Tell them I have something for the Princess' security. Tell them no more than that. We will be awaiting their arrival."

Aren guided himself through the castle halls, arriving at the door to the meeting room with his daughter in tow. She had been unusually silent the whole walk, and when he looked back, he understood. The six year old was struck with wonder at the large interior of the castle. Beautiful purple and gold tapestries lined the hall, suits of armor standing at guard. He slung her over his shoulder to break her from her reverie, slinking through the dreaded door.

Moments later, the Royal Family joined the blacksmith and his daughter. "Aren, Son of Lars, what brings you to us today? And why is it so secretive?"

"Perhaps my daughter should tell you. Go on, tell them about last night, Anna." Aren pushed his daughter closer to the Queen and King.

"So this beautiful dragon landed in town and everyone was so scared! But i didn't really get why because the dragon kept asking for his mama, so I don't know why people were so scared of him, because he was scared too! And we heard his mama so I took him out to meet his mama and she thanked me for helping him and called me Silver Tongue. I don't know why, but it sounds so cool! And she was so pretty too! Oh a-"

"Anna." The warning tone in her father's voice silences her, and she looked up sheepishly at the King and Queen, blush painting her face.

"Ah, I see… Anna was it?" The child nodded. "Would you like to join me in the castle's special gardens? Only special people get to go there," the Queen gestured for Anna to follow her, which the girl happily did. The queen grasped her hand, leading her out to the hidden garden of the castle. Anna's amazement is written clearly across his face, and it brings a sweet smile to the Queen's face. "I have a secret to show you! Can I trust you to keep this a secret?" A toothy grin spread across the child's face as she nodded ecstatically. The Queen pretended to ponder for a moment before asking the second most important question, "Would you like to be a knight? Truly and entirely?" Surprise struck the redhead.

"Me? Really? Yes! Yes!" She jumped up excitedly, before reminding herself she was in the queen's company. Sheepishly she bowed her head, "Sorry…"

Queen Idunn laughed, "Oh, not a problem, dear. Sometimes I wish Elsa would act like a child sometimes. Regardless of that, dear. I'm going to show you something that you must keep a secret from absolutely everyone. Understood?" When she received a nod, the Queen's eyes glowed a beautifully sharp emerald green, and her pupils morphed into slits. Suddenly wings appeared from her shoulder blades, and she grew over twice her size, scales glimmering in the sunlight. Purple scales with even deeper purple spikes surrounded the child as she was surrounded by the dragon.

"Whoa." Anna stood, awestruck. "Is that you, Queen Idunn?" Her silver tongue shined in the sunny garden.

"Silver Tongue, I am indeed Her Majesty. You still want to be a knight, yes?"

Anna paused, staring at the beautiful purple dragon's fierce face, "Would I have to… hurt any dragons…?"

"No, my dear. You would be more… protecting them? Much like you did last night. You see, if it weren't for you last night, the baby dragon may have never left the city alive. Humans are scared of dragons, and dragons are scared of humans. You helped that dragon, and the townspeople last night, dear Silver Tongue. So I ask again. Would you be willing to be a Knight of Arendelle?"

The redhead pondered the possibility of being a hero among all, and she made her decision, "I would. With all my heart, I would protect all living creatures." The large scaly beast surrounding the girl shrunk back into the firm of Queen Idunn, and her eyes morphed from glowing emerald green, back to a gentle blue.

"Anna Arensdotter. You will hereby be known as Sir Arensen, and you will be protected from the public, trained privately, and hereby instated to protect Her Royal Highness, Princess Elsa of Arendelle. You will promise to uphold peace and dignity at all times. You will protect and serve the country of Arendelle. And, you will never be allowed to return to your life as Anna Arensdotter. You will introduce yourself as Andrew Arensen, and from henceforth, you will never be allowed to remove your mask in company. You shall never to another soul speak of what you've seen today, do you understand?" The Queen's regal tone had reappeared and stunned young Anna. To be completely honest, she was rather unsure that she understood, but the images of the dragons she'd recently met played forth in her mind, and she found that she only cared of protecting them.

As a child of six, it seemed too much, but perhaps that youthful naivete allowed her to rush into this pact headlong. There was much she didn't know, but Anna knew she loved knights, and adventure. So with an uneasy heart she replied, "I understand."

From that day on, it would be twelve years before Aren Larsen would see his daughter. Twelve years of rigorous training for the young girl. Twelve years of forming a distant bond with Crown Princess Elsa of Arendelle. The women would spend full days at each other's side without a single word spoken between the two. But still, there was something that sparked when the two girls were side-by-side. Something inexplicably electric.


	2. The Dragon of Ice

**_Update:_** _My friends IceCreamIceQueen and BlossomCharms pointed out some confusion on the time of this chapter so I hope the edit at the beginning clears that up! Also fixed a few typos!_

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 **The Dragon of Ice**

While the young dragon disturbed the townspeople, something was amiss in the castle. The head maid ran down the hall towards the Queen's study, frantic. Fists pounded against the heavy oak door, the booms echoing in the stone halls. With a concerned countenance, the Queen opened the study door.

"Gerda, dear, what has you so afraid? You're causing a ruckus." The head maid was obviously out of breath, panting before speaking.

"Your Royal Majesty," pant, "Her highness," pant, "missing. Dragon in her chambers." The older woman continued to catch her breath Queen's eyes widened.

"Okay. Gerda. Please get my husband. Send him to Elsa's chambers." Gerda nodded, and bowed, before scampering off. "Cecil. Come here." The broad man slithered out from the shadows. "Guard off the Princess' chambers. Let no one but Adgar enter. It's her first night." As soon as her personal guard had nodded, she raced towards her daughter.

She entered a disheveled room, shadows cast all around the room. Icy blue scales reflected in the moonlight, and her eyes drifted over to the relatively small beast. "Elsa." The blue eyes turned towards her. The Queen's eyes morphed to emerald green, and her body grew, skin transforming into purple scales. In her larger beast form, she stepped towards the icy blue dragon, who stepped back in fear.

"Elsa, dear, it's me. You don't need to be afraid." The icy beast snorted, ice spreading across the floor.

"M-Mother? W-what's happened?" Fear trembled through the beast's voice. Her eyes continued to cast down towards her ebony black claws, ice pouring out onto the floor from underneath her paws.

"Dear, please calm down. This is the fate of the Daughters of Arendelle. We are gifted with this ability. It is something to cherish, my dear. We are special, and we will help you control it." She took another step forward, happy to see that her daughter only shrunk, rather than backing away. "What scares you?"

Elsa turns her head around, looking at her body, "I can't control it! I didn't want this. Why us? Why?"

Idunn looked down at her child, concern in her now emerald eyes, "Elsa, dear, you love stories of history's past, no?" A slow nod from her child, "Let me tell you the story of the Arendelle women. Long before, when dragons roamed freer than humans, a child was born. Bestowed upon by gods, the human child was born into a family of dragons. Undoubtedly, there was a great confusion among the dragons' settlement, yet when the child was about 6 or 7 depending on the story, she morphed into a deep red fire dragon. After flying around the settlement, the young dragon settled by her parents, morphing back into her human child self. That night, down from the heavens flew a galactic dragon, settling into the center of their homes. His roar called all the dragons to the center. Then he called the young child forward, and tentatively she joined him. 'You, my child, are a gift from the gods high above. They have given you to this world to bridge the gap between human and dragon. Far to the North, there is a man with a Silver Tongue. He is your destined. You are to marry him and rule the land of the North, in memory of dragons, you will offer them a sanctuary if need be. In three seasons time, you will embark on your journey." With his final statement he vanished back to the heavens. That child became the first queen of Arendelle. Her blood flows through your veins." Just then the King burst in.

"Elsa! You're beautiful! Just like your mother" He placed his hand on the purple dragon's snout, who clicked in response. Elsa glanced at the king, noticing his tongue glinting in the moonlight.

"Silver Tongue… Was Papa _your_ destined?" The couple hummed for a moment before the king spoke up.

"Well, my dear, that depends on if you believe that. I love your mother very much and my heart yearns for only her, but I am one of a great few Silver Tongues. Any one of the others could have courted your mother. Some did. But I won her favor. Destined or not." Elsa hummed, mulling over the revelation.

The door opened, drawing all the occupants' attention. Cecil stood at attention, "Your Majesty, the head maid and her husband are becoming very curious as to why it's taking so long. They are worried about you." Elsa noticed his tongue glinting just as her father's had done.

"You too, Cecil?" He nodded.

The queen interrupted, "I understand. Hold her off for a few moments more. I will handle the situation." With a nod, Cecil shut the door, returning to his post. Queen Idunn turned her gaze to Elsa. "Consider this your first lesson, Elsa. I want you to focus on yourself, and the reflection you see every morning. Think of your fave. Your icy blue eyes. That pale silver hair. Think of your smattering of freckles." Elsa closed her eyes, painting an image of herself in her mind. When the girl began to glow a bright blue, Queen Idunn shifted herself to her human form. When her transformation completed, she found herself staring into the blue eyes of her daughter once more. "Now, once you have more control, it won't require nearly as much concentration. You will learn to find a mark of yourself to focus on, and the transformation will come easily. Until then, we will train in the Secret Sanctuary." Elsa nodded, with nothing else to do.

An idea struck the blonde, "Mama, how will I find Silver Tongues?"

The Queen snickered, "Dear, they will come to you. Don't you worry now." Elsa nodded, a faint blush coating her cheeks. "Now, as to the matter of Gerda, you were hiding in your closet because you were scared of the dragon that flew in. The dragon accidentally flew in and the windows closed behind it, trapping it in here. It was just as scared as we were, but we were able to set it free, and found you in the closet. Understand?" King Adgar and Elsa nodded dumbstruck. The queen certainly had a way of controlling a room.

The queen exited the room with Adgar in tow, grabbing Cecil's attention, and leading the men to the main hall. There, she met the gaze of an anxious Gerda, who promptly rushed to the royalty.

"Your Majesty! Her highness, is she alright? I fear what that icy beast may have done to her…" The Queen's laugh rumbled deep within her throat.

"Dear Gerda, it was just a frightened pup. Must have flown in by accident, and the windows shut on it. Downright scared to the bone. Regardless, we let it out and found little Elsa hiding in the closet, just as scared as that pup. Really nothing to worry about." A sigh of relief brushed past Gerda's lips at the news. She nodded to the Queen and apologized for waking her. After a few minutes of small chit chat, the royals retired for the night, well aware that the next day would be taxing. The first day always was.

The morning sun rose, and with it, the Royal Family of Arendelle. Princess Elsa met her parent's at the dining table, breaking her fast of the night with greedy hunger. From that moment alone, she learned that "The Change," as she had dubbed it, was draining. She now understood why her mother always seemed to have a mountain of food available to her. Her parents didn't dare disturb her as she shoveled down food. It was the first time since she was small that they'd seen the Crown Princess act like a child. Not to mention the Queen's personal understanding.

As soon as the youngest occupant had finished her meal, Queen Idunn spoke, "Tonight, Elsa, we shall be journeying to the Secret Sanctuary. Today marks the beginning of your training. Meet me at my study after adorning your riding wear." The Queen rose, signalling that she would not be questioned on this matter.

Before the hour had finished, Elsa found herself waiting in her mother's study. She examined the dusty tomes neatly tucked away into the shelved walls. She had always loved reading, and found herself scanning titles for something to read in her spare time. _The Silver Tongue's Mistress_ … _maybe that would be good. It must be a romance novel._ She pulled the book from the shelf, turning to the first page. _Cecilie the Kind was known for her heart, her beauty, and her tongue. It gleamed so silvery in the light when she spoke to the beasts of the sky, that people from all around the world, men_ and _women, gathered to win her hand…_ Though Elsa found herself fully invested in the book, only a few words in, her mother had stolen her attention. She closed the book, tucking it into her riding vest for safe keeping.

Silently, she followed her mother through the castle, down hallways she never knew existed, through amazing twists and turns of beautifully decorated halls. Suddenly, her mother stopped in front of an extremely nondescript door. Heavy wood, decorated with metal bands. Within the metal bands she could see engravings of the crocus, their country's symbol, and dragons. Awestruck by the simplistic beauty of the door, she didn't notice her mother conjure a key out of near thin air. In reality, it was tucked into the locket that she never took off. The simple, yet grandeur, door opened to reveal an enticing green garden. Flowers bloomed endlessly, and gras glimmered in the sunlight. It felt like spring or maybe summer in that small sanctuary. Her mother took in the fresh air.

"Elsa, this is my Secret Sanctuary. You see, I'm a… plant dragon. So, harnessing and perfecting my powers as a plant dragon, I have grown this beautiful garden. As of tomorrow, you will be using this Sanctuary to perfect the beast. You will learn to utilize its power, and how to quickly become the dragon, and then yourself again. This will be your Secret Sanctuary."

Elsa's eyebrows shot into her hairline, "But my ice will hurt your plants! I don't want to hurt anything, mother!"

"Now, now, dear. You must perfect your abilities, and I can always help my plants grow back, so worry not about them. Besides, you're my most treasured flower and I'd much rather keep you safe." Elsa mother bent down and kissed the top of her forehead.

* * *

When Elsa awoke in the morning, her parents had summoned her to their shared study. However, by the time she had arrived at the study, the head servant Kai was waiting for her.

"My apologies, Your Highness, but your parents were called away for an urgent message. They have asked me to escort you to the dining room. They promised to meet you there at their earliest availability." The young Elsa sighed. She'd spent many years waiting for that claim of 'earliest availability'. It never really seemed to come. Still, she would wait for them, until her first lesson of the day at the very least.

As they passed by the three guards in the main hall, Elsa could overhear part of their conversation:

"That crazy blacksmith…"

"I know! Bringing a child like that here. Calling it 'urgent'..."

"He does make all of your metalwear, you know. Best not insult the gifted man. Never seen a finer piece of steel than those from his forge."

"He's a little excessive though, sir… I mean, the girl? What could be so important about her…"

When the guards were out of earshot, she found herself exhaling a breath she didn't even know she was holding. The conversation struck up a serious curiosity within her, and she found she wanted to know about that girl.

Kai sat her at the large oak table, and the kitchen staff delivered a luxurious meal she would have enjoyed if she weren't so wrapped up in her thoughts. Near the end of the hour, her father and mother joined her, smiling wearily.

"We are so sorry, my dear. It was a truly important meeting. When you're older I'm sure you will understand." _I hate that line…_ "For now, let us enjoy a family breakfast!"

Elsa nodded mindlessly, her thoughts still wondering what happened, then, to the blacksmith and his daughter. _What news could a blacksmith bring that would warrant both of my parents' attentions? Something else is going on…_ Still, she pushed her thoughts back and smiled broadly and her mother and father as they prattled on about daily things in the kingdom.

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 _ **A/N:** Hey there folks! I hope you all enjoyed the second installment to this story! It is laying some groundwork and maybe explaining as to why the king and queen didn't know what had happened in town. There will be more shenanigan with our knight soon ;))))As always, reviews are a tremendous help! Speaking of..._

 ** _Wintersummer:_** _I, too, adore her! I hope to do her justice! As well as keep you interested! Thank you for the encouragement :))))_

 ** _BlossomCharms:_** _Anna has always loved fairytales, so she is just entirely enraptured with the beautiful beast hahaha I hope I can introduce you to the dragonAU well :))) Happy writing, my friend!_


	3. Knighted in Love

**Knighted in Love**

 _Ten years later..._

Anna sat in a shadowy nook next to Sir Cecil, her master. She wore a cloth around her head, covering all but her eyes. Leather gave her light protection, because it was simply impossible to sneak around in the big, bulky, metal armor. Today's lesson: Hiding in the Shadows. Her job would be to follow Her Royal Highness throughout the day, without even being suspected, and observe even the littlest of things. She would never tell Cecil, but these were her favorite kind of lessons. To just admire the princess from a distance was a gift in Anna's eyes.

However, Cecil wouldn't be hanging over her shoulder today, as he usually did. Today the Queen would be meeting with many people, and her safety was of utmost importance to him. It would be a true test of Anna's ability. So with a steeled nod, he left her.

The princess started her day with a lonely breakfast. Anna loved the dining area, because it was so very easy to watch over the royal girl without being caught. Not to mention, the princess had mannerisms that made her seem like an untouchable doll. Her posture, the way she held her dining utensils, and her blank face. For a 19 year old, she seemed so jaded…

Anna followed the girl into the library, which seemed to be her favorite place. Anna personally didn't have time to read often, but she could see the appeal. Stories had always stolen her heart as a child.

Anna hid in an empty upper shelf that gave her just enough room to spy over the blonde princess. The princess dug out an old tattered book from a chest near the fireplace. She gently settled her fingers on the cover of the book, a gentle, almost imperceptible smile carved her lips.

 _What makes her smile like that? What is that book?_ Anna wished she could read the title from her hiding spot. There was something about the princess that just made the redhead want to know everything about her.

The princess opened to a seemingly random page. Her eyes traced over the page, blue eyes flickering back and forth over the lines. Anna almost fell into a trance while she watched those eyes. Suddenly, the dust that floated around the musty books was beginning to tickle Anna's nose. _No. Arensen, you will not sneeze. You will not. Keep it in._ Unfortunately, she was too late. The sneeze was on its way. Still, she had trained herself to hold the noise back. Her hands gripped hard onto the shelf she was perched upon.

As she released her grip on the shelf, her knuckle caught in the spine of a book; and, before the 16 year old could react, the book was falling to the floor. _Ah shit. Great, you can silently climb up a bookshelf, but while you're there you knock off a book? Well aren't you brilliant, Arensen. Pray she can't see you._ Anna barely bit back her groan as those piercing blue eyes shot over to the fallen book. The princess' slender feet carried her over to the book, and she picked it up, looking up at the same time. Her eyes found its spot near the top of the bookcase. She sighed, moving to the ladder. While the blonde girl moved to grab the library ladder, the redhead silently scaled down the bookcase. Unfortunately, her rush to sidle down the bookcase pulled another book from its spot. Immediately, striking blue eyes met Anna's own teal eyes. Anna's eyes widened in surprise, while the princess' squinted in anger.

" _What in the_ _ **hell**_ _are you doing here?"_ Elsa's voice was seething, and Anna found herself taken aback.

With a falsely gruff voice, "My apologies, Your Highness. I… My name is Andrew Arensen, and I am to be your personal guard. I was simply watching over you. Sir Cecil charged me with keeping an eye on you for the day." _God, could you sound anymore scripted, Arensen?_ Anna lowered herself to a knee, bowing her head.

"Unmask yourself." Elsa's tone cared a regal finality to it.

Yet still, Anna couldn't comply, "Your Highness, my deepest apologies, but I am forbidden from such. Her Royal Majesty, Queen Idunn of Arendelle, has deemed it entirely necessary to keep myself masked in front of all other persons. Therefore, I will have to disregard your order. I do not mean to upset you of course, and if I could, then I certainly would… But, I would not want to warrant Her Majesty's wrath… I mean, nor would I rather warrant yours! I just… Oh goodness… I wasn't even supposed to be seen today… Oh dear, Cecil's gonna kill me…" Anna momentarily forgot her current company. "Shit. Now I'm gonna have to run twice as much tonight… Jeez, Arensen, you had one job!" She looked up into amused blue irises, and was immediately thankful that the cloth covered her now blazing red cheeks.

"Well, I can tell that you are certainly regretful for barging in on my reading time," the princess hid a laugh behind her hand, "So, I will help you make up for it, and we can keep this meeting a secret from Sir Cecil."

Anna perked up instantly, "Really? Anything, Your Highness! I will be forever in your debt!" Now, Anna knew she was being overly dramatic, but her body still ached from the night before's extensive sword training. She honestly felt rather justified.

This devious smirk fell over the princess' face, and Anna found it attractive, yet terrifying, "Anything you say? Even if I were to ask you to sleep with me?"

Anna's eyes widened, and it was obvious to the princess that the knight's mouth kept opening and closing by the way the cloth kept shifting. Anna was trying to formulate an answer to that, and stumbled a she tried to stand, "W-what? Your Highness! That is highly inappropriate! I can't do that! Her Majesty would have my head! To defile the princess like that! Oh no… I simply. Oh dear… I did say anything… I mean it's not that I don't," _Shit. Don't say that out loud Arensen._ "Want to, but it wouldn't be good. Or rather, not that you wouldn't be good, but I wouldn't and the queen would not be happy... And I should really shut up shouldn't I." If it were possible, the redhead was blushing even more. Her eyes finally met the princess' and she realized she was being laughed at. Then, she heard the most melodious sound. The princess' full-bodied laughter. No hiding behind her hand. No tight lips. But, the kind of laugh that makes you curl at the waist. Here was the Princess of Arendelle, _**the princess of Arendelle**_ , holding her waist, bent over, laughing. At Anna. And Anna couldn't help but laugh herself.

As soon as the blonde could catch her breath, she stood fully straight, grinning, "Only a joke, sir. I only wanted to ask you if you would join me for a game of chess."

Anna let out a relieved sigh, and awkward laugh, "Of course, Your Highness. As you wish."

She gave a puckered look of distaste, "Please, call me Elsa."

" _Elsa. God, that's such a beautiful name… I'm so lucky."_ Anna looked to respond to the princess, and she noticed a significantly bright blush dusting the blonde's cheeks, "I said that out loud, didn't I?" Elsa nodded. "I need a lock for this mouth of mine. Always gets ahead of me."

"Well for that then, I must ask one more thing of you, Sir Andrew, son of Aren." Elsa had a falsely regal face painted onto her countenance.

Anna gave a theatrical bow, "Then ask, Your Royal Highness, Princess Elsa of Arendelle."

Elsa stifled a giggle, "If I win this friendly game of chess, we will do whatever I want for the rest of the day, and you have to answer me… 5 questions. If you win, then the honors will all go to you. Fair, my good knight?"

"Fair, my lady. I do dabble in the battle of a chess game, so I do hope you've fully prepared yourself to lose to a mere knight. We are the sneakiest players."

"Ah, yes, but a princess becomes a queen, and that there is the most powerful piece on the board. I hope you are prepared to lose, good knight, because the queen is hardly restricted by the conventional rules of the other pieces." Elsa had this self-satisfied smirk on her face, and Anna felt her competitive side prickle, wanting nothing more than to wipe that smirk off of her face.

She wasn't lying, she did dabble in chess. Sir Cecil would bring some of her lessons to the study to learn about strategy, and there is no better strategy game than that of chess. Of course, she never managed to beat him, but she'd gotten close enough before. Close enough to warrant a comfort strong enough to challenge the princess. If it weren't for Cecil, she would have conceded immediately. Still, it might have been better for her pride, had she listened to the princess' forewarning. As it were, she ignored the princess and found herself in an embarrassing situation. While she had managed to remove one knight, one rook, and 3 pawns, Elsa had nearly cleared her army out, leaving only one knight, and her royalty. Now that pompous smirk had only grown.

Anna's foot tapped relentlessly against the stone floor. It was her play. Her move. Her chance to change something about this game. Except. _There's nothing I can do. She'll have me in check, and to break it I'll lose one of my defensive pieces and then I'll lose. I'm… I have lost…_ Anna moved her knight to take a bishop. Elsa moved her rook into check. Anna moved her King to the side. Elsa took her knight instead, forcing Anna into checkmate. With a resigned sigh, Anna knocked her king over, "You win."

"Well, Sir Arensen, look at the bright side! You might have won against my maids… Maybe." She winked at Anna, and a flare lit up under her cheeks. Once again, Anna found herself glad that the cloth covered her face.

"Is that a jest meant to wound me, Your Highness? If so, consider me wounded." Anna feigned a shot to the heart.

Elsa played into the young knight's charade, "Perish the thought, my dear knight! I would never wish pain on my protector!" Elsa's eyes glinted in a way that betrayed her true thoughts, and Anna couldn't hold back her laugh.

"'Perish the thought'! That's just too good, Your Highness. I mean who even says that anymore?"

Elsa placed her hand against her chest as she gave an exaggerated gasp, "Sir Knight! You wouldn't insult _royalty,_ now would you? I will have you know my tutor uses it all the time! Given he might be a dinosaur, but that point is moot!" She tried to keep up the façade, but a snort ripped through her, signalling shoulder wracking laughs.

Anna gazed at the laughing princess, enraptured by the humanity the once jaded girl now held. Before, Anna viewed her as this untouchable beauty, but now, now Princess Elsa was just as human as herself. That cold mask of indifference was gone. _I wish I could take this girl right here and keep her in my pouch so that I could have her everywhere I went. I want this smile to be for me alone. I want to be the one who she can look to for a laugh. I want her. I do._ Anna's eyes shifted away from the platinum blonde, and onto the floor. _Shit, Anna. You can never truly have her. Even if you are forced to marry her, she'll never love Anna… She can never know… if she did, she'd never return the feelings. You're strange enough for preferring the fairer sex, and she's a princess! You're a lowly commoner. Get your thoughts away from that…_

Years of watching the little mannerisms of someone, the little things they do when they think nobody's watching, can lead to a distant sort of love. But finally meeting that person, well that can awaken something unbreakable. A love so tender that it hurts, yet so strong a blade would break if it ever even attempted to cut through that bond. Anna now found herself in that very predicament. Yet she knew still, that were she to act on this love it would lead to heartache. So she, like anyone in her position, steeled herself against acting upon these feelings. She promised herself that, no matter the heartache, she would live to protect and serve Princess Elsa of Arendelle.

Speaking of, Elsa's eyes met the steeled gaze of the young knight, and she calmed herself down, "Now I believe today is mine!"

"I will live everyday for you," Anna replied nonchalantly, the gravity of her statement not connecting until she saw the furious blush ablaze upon the blonde's cheeks. "I mean, as your knight of course! Not trying to insinuate anything by that, Your Highness!"

Elsa looked at her, still blushing, and responded softly, "I thought I asked you to call me Elsa…"

With a smile, Anna nodded, "You're right. My apologies, Elsa."

"And, for you, my dear knight, I do have 5 questions… May I spread them out? I want to have them for when I really need them." Elsa leaned slightly forward, giving Anna a better view of her round chest, and glinting eyes.

She averted her gaze, "Of course, Your H- Elsa… Anything…"

In the garden, Elsa led Anna through a maze of geitrams, crocuses, and vivendels, to a pond with stor nøkkeroses scattered in it. She sat on the edge of the pond, trailing her fingers across the surface of the water. "You know, this is my favorite place… It's so serene, and nothing can match the beauty of all these flowers…"

Anna watched in wonderment, her heart simply yearning for the princess, "Yet, you surpass it." She slapped a hand over her mouth, clearly not intending to say that out loud.

Another rosy blush settled on Elsa's face, "You are a charmer, Sir Andrew. I wish I could see the face of the man who seems to be courting me. Unless, you aren't wishing to court me?"

Anna was surprised. The question seemingly came out of nowhere. It took her a moment to process the princess' words. Her heart raced in her chest, and as the princess opened her mouth again, Anna cut in, "Elsa, I am not trying to court you, but… my heart, it yearns to. However inappropriate it is of me, my heart has wished for you for years. I do not wish a return on these feelings of mine, I only wish to be by your side. Furthermore, I cannot court you unless permitted by your mother, who would surely have my head. So please, allow me these moments, however small. These moments to praise your beauty, for a child like me could never match the beauty you hold inside of your very soul." _Wow, where did that come from Arensen… You said you wouldn't tell her, now here you are betraying yourself… You're a fool, you know? You'll be lucky if she grants you even this._

Elsa stood, grasping Anna's hands, "Sir Andrew, I have known you for but a short time, but I have enjoyed your company thoroughly. Because of that, I wish you to not restrain yourself from these feelings. I may not be able to return them right now, or ever, but if you are to serve as my faithful knight, I will need you to always be honest and true to yourself. Thus, I will not call it courting, but I will not restrict you from trying to win my favor. My life is my decision, not my mother's, and if she has any qualms, I will deal with them."

Anna kneeled, kissing the princess' hand, "Your Highness, my life is given to serve you, and though I may be foolhardy, I will never go back on my promise to this land, but more importantly, my promise to you. Allow me to stay by your side and protect you with all my heart, please."

Elsa hid a gentle laugh behind her other hand, "A charmer nonetheless. I will allow you that, Sir Andrew. Now, answer me this question… How long?"

Anna stood, holding a steady gaze with the blue-eyed princess, "How long for what?"

"How long has your heart yearned for me?"

"I… I was brought into this life at a young age, and I didn't see you at all at first, but soon I was training to watch over you… At about 8 was the first time I had a full glance at the real you… You didn't know Cecil and I were there, and you were the most amazing person I'd ever seen. You were 11 at the time, and you were only reading… That same book you always are… There was something about you that drew me in, and at first I though it only the desire for a friend, but at around 12… As I watched you more and more, well my heart pulled me towards you in a way I never thought would happen… Then, today, when we met, I knew my heart would only want you… It solidified something in me…" Anna's voice may have been shaky, but her gaze held true. This was too important to her. However, the princess' eyes flickered down, overwhelmed by the passion in Anna's voice.

Elsa scuffled over to the bench, "You certainly know your way round heartwarming words… I fear my heart will burn with this passion you hold, Sir Arensen… You have hereby solidified my resolve to talk with my mother… I cannot let her restrict you from courting me, for if nothing else, I am a romantic, and you are certainly a charming knight…"

* * *

Anna knelt before the Queen of Arendelle. One knee down, hand resting on the hilt of her sword, head bowed low, "You requested my presence, Your Majesty? How may I serve you?"

Idunn looked at the scrawny knight. For all intents and purposes, it looked like the girl would never be able to hold her own when faced with even the smallest of her guards, but by Cecil's accounts, the girl knew how to use a sword in the most deadliest of capacities. He speculated that by the end of her 17th year, she would be able to best even him. "Sir Andrew, Son of Aren, rise." Anna complied, "Now my daughter has brought you to my attention… How did you meet her?"

Discomfort struck Anna's heart, "I was discovered in doing my duty, Your Majesty…"

Queen Idunn sighed, "You, Sir Arensen, are a lucky man. Today was the day we intended to introduce you to my daughter. You are now old enough to truly protect her, and keep your true self under wraps. As long as you keep your identity hidden, you will only suffer Sir Cecil's punishment for failing his lesson." Anna nodded in understanding, "Now, as I understand, you wish to court the only daughter to the crown of Arendelle, yes?"

Anna's heart seized, before she steeled herself in the face of the queen, "Your Majesty, if I may?" The queen nodded, "I have always admired the young princess, and as I have grown with her, so have my feelings, and if nothing else, I only wish to have a chance at winning the beautiful princess' heart. I needn't succeed, only a chance."

A smirk crossed the queen's face before she looked towards Anna with a serious gaze, "Sir Andrew, you were always destined to be a potential suitor. It is the reason you were knighted so young. It is the reason for many of the things in your life, in tandem with other things of course, as you understand them to be. I am happy to hear that you will court my daughter out of genuinity, and not of false hopes for power in my kingdom. A pure heart shall win the heart of the cold princess, Sir Knight. Always keep in mind that her protection is always the most important, and there shall be no qualms with you courting my dear daughter."

* * *

 _ **A/N:**_ _Hey there! I could not wait to put this chapter up! A special thanks to_ _IceCreamIceQueen_ _for being my beta! I know a lot seems to be happening very fast, but this is only the beginning! This is only a small part of their developing relationship, and it will make much more sense later on. Reviews always help, and I am truly loving everything you guys have had to say with only the first two chapters! Encouragement and curiosity better my story!_

 _ **BlossomCharms:**_ _I edited it, so hopefully that makes more sense... and the twelve years will come in later… It is significant, but Anna isn't of age yet! I am having a lot of fun writing this story, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I have an actually well thought out plan for this story! Happy writing! :)_

 _ **SeniorCrescent:**_ _I hope this chapter also shed a bit more light on the matter for you! This story isn't intended to be super secretive, so feel free to ask some questions if you are confused at all! Thank you for reading! :))_

 _ **IceCreamIceQueen:**_ _I know I already responded to your questions earlier, but to put this out here for everyone! Gerda can't know about the Royal Family's Dragon Blood because it is intended to be a secret, so as not to be exploited. A secret isn't a secret if people not directly involved already know the truth. Also, because other than that instance, Elsa will have control over turning, and therefore it won't be at risk. Thank you for the continued support friend! Happy writing to you! :)))_


	4. Masqued Love

**Masqued Love**

Usually, Elsa could feel Andrew's presence. After over a year of courting and friendly banter, she'd become used to his ever-present aura. Now though, nothing. _Though,_ she supposed, _Mother did say this was an awfully important and_ _ **private**_ _meeting._ "Mother… are Andrew and Cecil watching this meeting?"

"No. Cecil is currently training Sir Arensen. Why?" Her mother's tone was regal and curt, with a hint of knowing underneath. As though she knew that Elsa was longing for ker knight's presence.

"I see… I was just curious if it were only Sir Arensen that could not sit in, or if it were both our knights." Elsa tried to hide her wish for the childish Andrew she found herself fancying.

The Queen still smirked, knowingly, "Ah… Well, I would have allowed Cecil to join us if I wasn't worried about the kind of trouble Sir Arensen would find himself in. This must be kept very secret from him."

Elsa felt herself grow uneasy at the thought of keeping a secret from her loyal friend. Especially one that seemed so large.. "What is it, _Mother_?" Her tone held a bite she didn't expect from even herself. A hand came up to cover her mouth after she realized it had run away from her.

Yet, Idunn's smirk only grew. "Elsa, you will be meeting with various princes from a number of kingdoms. They will be coming here to court you. Simple as that. I know that you and Sir Arensen have been courting for well enough time, but this is a mere formality. He will be required to protect you as your knight, and not as your suitor. To ensure this happens, you two will not be allowed to interact until all of the suitors have left."

At this, her eyes narrowed, "What do you mean a formality?"

A pause stretched between the two royals, Idunn contemplating the best response. "Do you recall the story of Silver Tongues?" Elsa nodded. "As you know, your father is a Silver Tongue. Cecil and Andrew as well. Well, one reason every person closest to us is a Silver Tongue, is that if and when we will be needed to change, the people closest to us must still be able to communicate with us. However, to date, there has been no documented foreign Silver Tongue."

Elsa sat still for a moment, her mind running over everything that her mother had said, "What if there is no other Silver Tongue than Sir Andrew?"

"Your father and I will not force you into a marriage with anyone, dear. However much your council may recommend that you marry Sir Andrew, it is ultimately your choice. The only restrictions put on your marriage are by your birth. You are only to marry a Silver Tongue." Elsa nodded. It seemed awfully reasonable.

"How long will this charade be forced to continue?" When her mother smirked again, she wanted to groan. That was never a good sign.

"The princes will be staying for two to three weeks. However, until you choose to marry, you will be forced to host suitors when they visit." _Yep. Bad sign. So basically I need to get married as soon as possible if I want to keep my sanity? Ugh._

Elsa nodded, "If that is all, I will take my leave."

"One more thing, Elsa. They are about an hour away from docking, so I must ask that you prepare yourself to greet them at the docks. For the next two weeks, Sir Andrew will be your shadow, and only that. He is forbidden from courting you. At least until the last of the princes leave." Saddened by the news, Elsa nodded, taking her leave.

 _I… I never expected to be so sad that I wouldn't be able to speak to Andrew. Well… It's only for two weeks._

Three days into this two weeks of silence between Elsa and her best friend, and she was already missing the knight. She met Prince Sedrik first, and his youth betrayed him. He must've only been 16. Sixteen and selfish.

After spending a full day with him she began to think she might never want kids. The pounding headache he gave her lasted well into the night, not even cured by her restless sleep. _Was Andrew like this back then? Well, we'd just met, but still… He seemed to put me first… Why can't everybody be like Andrew?_

The next day was considerably better. Prince Philip docked, and she entertained him for the day. A much nicer fellow than Sedrik, and nothing if not chivalrous.

* * *

 _With Prince Philip …_

The large boat docked rather early in the morning, but still, Elsa waited at the docks for the prince to disembark.

When he did, he wore a tired smile that almost matched the young princess'. "You must be Princess Elsa," He bowed at the waist, "Prince Philip at your service."

She smiled, as he'd shown so much more maturity in that simple gesture. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance. Welcome to Arendelle, and I certainly hope you find it to your liking." She glanced behind her, hoping to catch a glimpse of her knight, who suddenly felt much more present than before. Yet, when her eyes could not find him, she deflated and returned her attention to the Prince.

He was smirking. "Princess Elsa, if I may?" She nodded for him to continue, "My journey has been awfully long, and this is simply much too early to be entertaining a guest. Therefore, I find it only appropriate to ask you show me to a room so we both may get a proper rest in before the formalities."

Her eyebrows shot up, before she found a true smile resting on her face, "Prince Philip, if you would join me in my carriage, I will show you to the room we have prepared for you. I would love nothing more than to take a proper nap after my day yesterday."

He chortled along with her, "Entertaining royalty can be quite a chore, and I would be none the happier than to relieve some of that burden."

Something about him drew Elsa in. But, it wasn't electrifying like it was with Andrew. It was warm and inviting, but not exciting. Still, Elsa relished in it. Prince Sedrik had only made her bristle, but Prince Philip soothed her worries. His entire demeanor was relaxing, and Elsa would cherish it while she could.

When she met Prince Philip in the dining room for a late breakfast, he was sitting with a content smile on his face. She matched it. Once again, Andrew's presence seemed to multiply and she whipped her head to try and catch a glimpse, but it seemed he'd learned much since their first meeting.

Prince Philip was smirking again, "Looking for someone, Your Highness?"

A bright blush erupted on her face, and she stiffly shook her head, not trusting her own voice. His smirk grew, "Why are you hosting us?"

"Because my mother told me so?" He laughed. She joined him.

"Do you want to know why I'm here?" She tilted her head, and nodded, "Come closer, I wouldn't want our audience to know." She followed along, and felt his warm breath as he whispered in her ear, " _My_ mother wants me to make nice with the Ice Queen. She knows I have a bride, but doesn't approve, so she sent me here hoping you'd woo me. Though, it seems you've been wooed yourself." She blushed and nodded slightly. A stare burned into her back, and she turned to try and meet those eyes, but again she couldn't find them.

 _This is weird. What is going on with Andrew?_ Prince Philip stood, and pulled out Elsa's seat, "After you, Your Highness." As she took her seat, he winked at her, causing blush to bloom across her cheeks. _Talk about a Prince Charming._

The day was filled with much of the same flirtatious chatter and bold moves. Yet, through all of it, she just felt like she'd made a good friend. Her heart didn't pound in the same way as when Andrew would flirt, or give her some grand gesture.

The next day, she met Prince Lucas. Something about him made her extremely uncomfortable. His meek little servant, Oliver, was more welcoming than the slim, tall man. She could feel Sir Andrew's presence grow, as though he was a cat bristling in the face of an enemy. That made her even more uncomfortable around Prince Lucas. She kept her answers short and sharp, with tight smiles gracing her features.

Then there was Prince Jekk. He showed a clear affection for her body. But, it felt like that was all he cared for. The lingering gazes at her chest and backside had her wishing she'd worn something more conservative. In fact, she nearly skipped dinner just to avoid his wandering eyes.

Prince Dannor was the second-to-last to arrive, and despite his overshadowing burly look, he was the gentlest. He shared none of Prince Philip's youthful flirting, but all of the chivalry.

Then there was Prince Hans of the Southern Isles. He treated her much the same as Philip, but was clearly more interested in her than Philip. It didn't set her heart aflutter as much as Andrew did, but he did affect her more than Philip. They spent their day on the town together, and by the end of it, Elsa just wanted to drown in her bed.

Her mind flashed through the suitors, finding it settle on Philip first. He was so unbelievably kind, yet so understanding of these false formalities. She was glad to have someone who'd just be a friend above all else. Then there was Dannor. Gruff yet kind, he'd earned the princess' friendship. And Hans seemed to be a Prince in the finest sense, courting her kindly, and caring for her needs. The rest were but blurs in her mind's eye, with the unabashed staring and selfish mannerisms. She hoped they would leave soon.

* * *

A week had passed and Elsa found herself closer to the three kind Princes, splitting most of her time between them, and sharing meals with all 6 princes.

Prince Philip, with his kindred spirit, had quickly become Elsa's confidant, second only to Andrew. Things were easier with him, she supposed, because he wanted the same outcome from this endeavor - friendship. Prince Dannor, in his older age, seemed to fill the role of an Uncle for her. Prince Hans was charming and flirtatious, but understanding of her lack of response, offering her friendship instead. All in all, she supposed, she would gain three good allies and friends from this charade, but still she wished to hear Sir Andrew's voice again. She could feel him around her always, but she wished his arms would wrap around her again. The fleeting touches, late nights in the library reading to each other, the escapades through town, and the simple calm that he gave her when they'd walk through the gardens, silently admiring the lovely blooms, she missed it all.

With her attention clearly divided between only three of them, things had quickly become tense at mealtimes. Upon receiving her mother's summons to the study, Elsa excused herself from another terse meal, thankful for the respite.

What she didn't expect, however, was _this._

"Elsa, tomorrow night we will be hosting a ball for all of your suitors to enjoy the festivities. Prince Jekk and Prince Sedrik have announced their need to return home in 3 days, so, while everyone is still here to be entertained, we will do such. I will invite the townsfolk to join as well. Are we clear?" Elsa stood, dumbfoundedly gaping her mouth like a fish.

She quickly composed herself, "Yes mother. One question: Will Sir Andrew be attending?"

"Ah, yes! I forgot to mention that this will be a masquerade ball so that Sir Andrew may disguise himself amongst the crowds, whilst keeping his eyes on you. Hopefully it will not look too suspicious as this is a ball for your suitors and they are supposed to be giving you their attention." Queen Idunn smirked, knowing full well how much Elsa missed the young knight.

"I understand. Is that all?" Inside, she was giddy beyond belief, but outside, as she had learned, she was the picture of sophisticated grace.

"Yes, now go prepare yourself, because tomorrow might be your only chance to see Sir Andrew for the next week or so." The Queen winked at the young princess, leaving her dumbfounded as she exited the room.

* * *

Anna barely had time to prepare herself for the incoming princes, Cecil only informing her at the very end of their training session. With a hurried bath and a quick stumble into her lightweight armor, Anna rushed to meet Elsa. As soon as the beautiful girl entered her eyesight, she remembered Cecil's words - " _You are not to interact with the princess in any manner until all of the princes have left. You must protect her as her knight and only such. This is a test of your dedication to her safety. This is your test as her_ _knight._ _Do well by me Andrew, but do better by her."_

After a disgruntled sigh, Anna dedicated herself to serving as Elsa's shadow. The youngest of the princes was the first to arrive and throughout the entire day of watching how he treated the princess, Anna wished to both drive her head through a wall, and her sword through his midsection.

But, even he couldn't hold a candle to her disdain for Prince Philip. As soon as he docked, he seemed ever the Prince Charming, and in actuality, was probably quite nice. However, the smiles he drew from Elsa's lips, and the numerous hushed conversations in which the two had to huddle together, drove Anna into a frenzied state of hatred, anger, and jealousy. _How dare he make nice to_ _ **my**_ _Elsa?! What exactly does he think he is accomplishing? Trying to butter her up so he can bed her and leave? Disgusting. How can she even enjoy this attention? Why does it seem like he got her affections so much easier than i ever did? Especially after that fucking breakfast. God damn asshole sidling up to her like he's actually good enough. He'd look better with my sword through him. Shit. No. Bad. It's fine. I'm sure he's actually a nice fellow. Calm down. Besides you can't be much better if you're arguing with yourself in your own head, idiot._ With a few deep breaths she'd managed to calm down her murderous tendencies.

A quick look out the window showed midday was turning to evening, so with a heavy heart, and a pounding headache, Anna dressed herself in the suit the Queen specially ordered for her. Somewhere between the fourth and fifth piece of the suit, Anna was undoubtedly tangled in her own clothes. Usually Anna preferred dressing herself, so she had the personal maid the Queen sent for her wait outside while she dressed herself. Her sounds of struggle must have been loud enough to hear because she hears a knock and a meek, "Sir Andrew?"

"Oh Maria, please! Help!" The words were muffled through the cloth she found herself tangled in, but she heard the door creak and soft footsteps putter towards her. Maria made deft work of the tangle of clothes, leaving Anna standing in her trousers and wrap over her chest. As Maria stared unabashedly, a pink tit in her cheeks, Anna remembered the other reason she dressed herself. Maria had a shameless interest in her. "Uh… M-Maria?"

That seemed to draw the girl out of her haze, as she shook her head and grabbed the undershirt, passing it silently to Anna. With a swift movement, Anna had the shirt covering her torso, and she mindlessly tucked it into her trousers. Maria then made quick work of dressing Anna, buttoning her shirt, vest, and jacket, then tying her ascot, tucking it underneath the vest. To be honest, Anna was surprised how quickly the girl dressed her, but immediately shook the thought off. This is what Maria trained for. "Your hair, Sir Andrew?" Anna nodded and let the girls slim fingers thread through her hair, creating a simple french braid that laid directly in the middle of her back. Holding up the mask that covered from her nose to her brow - a beautiful bird-like design, painted in the royal colors, complete with a slightly obtrusive beak to distract from her feminine mouth and structure - Maria quickly tied it securely into her braid.

"Thank you, Maria, you are dismissed." Maria gently bowed her head and turn to took her leave, "Oh do you know where Her Majesty is?"

Maria nodded, "Her Majesty is currently in her study going over the final details for the ball tonight, Sir."

"Thank you, try to enjoy the ball tonight, yes?" Maria gave a tight lipped smile and nodded before taking her leave.

After a brief meeting with the Queen and Cecil, Anna made her way into the ballroom. She took a position in the far corner, with the only visibility point to see the Princess. Anna could see the tension in the high shoulders and tightly clasped hands, wanting nothing more than to remove all the tension from her body. Kai stepped out, introducing the Princess as she glided to the center of the raised platform.

"Tonight we gather to celebrate the time we have spent getting to know two of our allies' princes, as their return to their countries comes earlier than expected. Let us hope that we will see them again sooner rather than later, and enjoy our festivities tonight!" Elsa's voice strong and true to most, Anna's sure, but Anna could hear the tension, not to mention the way it radiates off of Elsa.

Prince Sedrik is the first to approach Elsa for a dance, and it's a stumbled waltz in which he stepped on her toes more than Anna could handle without wincing herself. Luckily Elsa was able to return to the platform to greet and chat with guests for a break. Anna smiled at that. As she watched Elsa, she barely noticed the soft footsteps next to her. When a clearing throat caught her attention, she glanced at Maria, who had clearly tried to look her best. With a shy smile, the maid gathered her courage, "Would you care to dance, Sir Andrew?"

While Anna knew she shouldn't give the girl hope where there was none to be had, she didn't want to deny the girl when she had clearly tried, and this might be her only chance. With a bittersweet smile she looked at her maid, "One dance." When Maria nodded, with the biggest grins she'd ever seen, she pushes her negative thoughts down, and focused on giving this girl what she asked for. She swept the girl onto the dance floor, quickly looking in Elsa's direction to watch for anything out of the ordinary. Elsa was slipping her hand into Prince Jekk's as he led her to the floor.

Anna remembered him, and made a mental note to keep an eye on the dancing royalty. She led Maria through a gentle waltz, one hand on her lower back, holding her close, the other holding her hand as they circled the dance floor. Maria's head soon rested on her shoulder, and she used the opportunity to watch Elsa dance, and watch the Prince for inappropriate behavior. He was clearly holding Elsa a little too close, but there was nothing to be done about that, so Anna just stewed over it in her head. She noticed his hand drifting lower as they approached to pass the two, also noticing Maria lift her head. She chanced a quick glance at the girl who was tilting her head up, moving closer to Anna's lips. Before Anna could even be surprised by her boldness, she noticed his hand dangerously close to Elsa's backside, and immediately Maria was pushed away, and her sword was drawn, touching the lower side of his hand, gently pushing upwards.

"You would do well to remember proper etiquette in front of a lady, _Prince Jekk._ Men lose their heads over this sort of harassment here, do you understand? We will not tolerate any untoward moves towards the women in this fine country, and especially Her Royal Highness. Please keep that in mind for the remainder of your stay here. And please, remove your hands from Her Royal Highness." Luckily she could lower her voice well enough, even without her usual mask. When his hands don't budge, her sword jumps from its position near his hand, and to the spot just below his ear, " _Prince Jekk._ " She implores, acid biting his name, "Remove your hand from Her Royal Highness, before I am forced to arrest you."

Though he removes his hands, and Anna gently guides Elsa away, slowly lowering and sheathing her sword, he has the audacity to challenge her, "And who do you think you are to even think of arresting a Prince like me? Hell, you're so scrawny, I bet you couldn't even manage it."

The way he throws his title around, like it entitles him to everything he wants, has bile rising in Anna's throat, only amplifying her acid tongue, "Perhaps my title will scare you, like you think yours scares the rest of us. I am Sir Andrew, Personal Knight to Her Royal Highness, Princess Elsa of Arendelle, and apprentice to the one Sir Cecil, Personal Knight to Her Majesty, Queen Idunn of Arendelle. And though I am small, sometimes that's the best weapon against meatheads like you, who think because they are bigger than everyone else, nobody stands a choice. Unfortunately for you, you're wrong. I can move faster than you. Fast enough to cut open your jacket right now, and have my blade back against your throat before you have even realized I drew it." And as she had described, his jacket was now hanging open, buttons lying on the floor, and her sword was pressed to his throat again. He audibly gulped, "Still think I can't arrest you?" He quickly shook his head and, after being so publicly embarrassed, excused himself to his quarters.

Elsa quickly grabbed her hand, and she looked into those blue eyes, calming in an instant. Though, out of the corner of her eyes, she sees Maria skittering out of the ballroom. She heave a sad sigh. Elsa is the one to break her out of her thoughts again, "Thank you, Sir Andrew, for protecting me."

Anna quickly took a knee, kissing the princess' hand, "Forever and always, Your Highness." When Elsa giggled, Anna looked up and grinned, "Would the Princess enjoy a quiet walk through the gardens after such a fiasco?"

Elsa gasped dramatically, placing her hand over her heart, "Be still my beating heart, for I do believe this young knight is trying to woo me with his brilliant suggestions." She smiled gently at Anna, "Of course I would love a walk through the gardens, Sweet Knight."

The walk through the gardens was mostly silent until Elsa piped up, "Who was the girl you were dancing with, Sir Andrew?"

Anna groaned quite audibly, "Oh goodness, Maria. She's my personal maid, but she has a schoolgirl crush on me. I thought I'd give her one, because she tried so hard, Els. It was adorable, really, but I have my sights set on someone else, " she shamelessly grinned at Elsa, "Anyways, I figured it's probably her only opportunity so I was going to give it to her, but you were dancing with Grabby McGrabberson, so I was watching you, and then he tried to make a move on you while she tried to kiss me, and instead of being able to let her down easily I had to shove her away so I could draw my sword. Oh man it's gonna be so awkwar-" Before she could finish her thoughts, she finds herself pinned against a tree, with soft pink lips mashed messily against hers. Surprise took over her entire body, leaving her frozen there, so that when Elsa pulled back, she looked like a statue, staring at Elsa's pink lips.

"I'm so so sorry, I shouldn't have done that so sudd-" Elsa was cut off when the positions against, what Anna now recognized as, _their_ tree changed.

"Elsa. Do you want to try again? Without the beak in the way?" Anna chuckled awkwardly and Elsa nodded, blush already covering her features. "Take off your mask." Elsa complies. "Now you have to promise to keep your eyes closed, okay?" Elsa just nods, clenching her eyes closed. Anna leans in, breath ghosting over Elsa's lips, "I'm going to kiss you now." Gently, she pressed her lips to Elsa's, fireworks exploding behind her own eyes.

* * *

 _ **A/N:**_ _Keanan is back! For those of you who read the latest chapter of_ _ **A Fencer's Fear,**_ _you know why I've been gone. There's been a lot of misfortune in my life lately, even since I posted that chapter. But, my writing juju is back, so updates! This chapter is unbeta'd so all mistakes are mine, but I hope you all enjoyed it :)) A little bit of jealousy on Elsa's end, and a fierce and clearly jealous Anna soooo :))) Now for those of you who reviewed on the last chapter :)_

 _ **BlossomCharms:**_ _I hope this chapter answered your question ;))) Elsanna is the only ship I'll write for this fandom so expect all fics to be Elsanna endgame from me:)_

 _ **LordWestGordon:**_ _I personally think a lot of Elsa's fears of her powers stemmed from a lack of understanding, coupled with the fear she saw in her parents eyes every time they would look at her, and the way they treated her powers as nothing but a threat. However, in this story Elsa will have a lot more confidence in her being a dragon, of course after she got over her initial fear. Being surrounded by acceptance and trust makes it easier for her to trust herself, plus she hasn't hurt Anna. But Anna is very dedicated to her position as Elsa's knight and she takes her courting just as seriously. Thank you for the comments :))_

 _ **SeniorCrescent:**_ _Anna's façade of being a man is purely for future purposes. If she, in the future, had to marry Elsa out of necessity, the public must see her as a man. Idunn was planning for if they were unable to locate another Silver Tongue, who was male, and stole Elsa's heart, then Anna would need to be a man to be wed to Elsa. Of course, at that point, she would have to disclose her truth to Elsa, in private. Not many know of the truth behind the maternal line in Arendelle, but for those who do, yes you are right. Elsa is a big target. Thank you for asking :)_

 _ **Guesty:**_ _There is a different story than the one passed down, and it might be a bit darker ;) but not like that :)) Thank you!_

 _ **Immapotato101:**_ _I finally have time, and I hope you love this chapter as you have the other three :))_

 _ **Lourdes:**_ _Thank you! :)_

 _ **Kurei555:**_ _Here's some more instant gratification ;) And you'll have to keep reading, because it's definitely gonna be big ;)) Thank you for the encouragement, and I am so glad you like it :))))_

 _ **PenguinVuelve:**_ _Well, I'm glad you decided to take a quick look through and finding this one :) I can only hope this update was as enthralling as the other three chapters were for you ;))) Thank you for your continued support :)_

 _Reviews help get chapters out, just saying ;))) -Keanan:)_


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